Institute of Transformational Coaching LLC
  • Weaving a web of words
    July 26 2017 BY Vishwanath P

    Weaving a web of words 

    4 tips to wow the world  with words 

    There are some with whom you can have a lifetime of conversations and then there are those with whom you can have the conversation of a lifetime. One such conversation with Monique Maley, the Founder and President of Articulate Persuasion - a leadership and presentation development firm -is the spark which evolved into this article. Listening to her was a revelation - images came alive, words stood out vividly and abstract ideas were quickly gelling into concrete forms which I could suddenly relate to. Intrigued and fascinated, I decided to try and decipher the fundamental ways in which she could wield such power with her words in the conversation. 

    Over multiple cups of coffee and loads of reading and listening, I arrived at the unfortunate acronym - the M.E.S.S. principle. I outline below the four techniques that comprise the MESS that you can use to  have your audience eating out of your hand. 

    Some of the examples I use below have been taken directly from my conversation with Monique, as a way of thanking her for such an insightful and sparkly conversation. 

    Metaphorize:  One of the best ways to create a visual in your audience’s mind is by using a metaphor - creating a tangible image or object that can be used to directly represent an abstract quality.  For example, when no one is willing to state the obvious issue, instead of “let’s talk about the real problem”, one can use “let’s talk about the elephant in the room” which conjures up a powerful image that conveys the idea.  Using similes (where the images are used to compare it with the intangible) is  another great way to create visual hooks. For e.g. ‘he looked tentative and nervous on stage’ can be replaced with ‘he was like a deer caught in the headlights’.  President Trump used this technique quite effectively by conjuring up ‘drain the swamp’, a stark visual that everybody could literally see. So next time sit at your desk to write or prepare your presentation, see if you can create powerful verbal visuals to represent your ideas. 

    Emotionalize: Any conversation or writing that does not create an emotional connect with the audience is usually non-sticky. You can make this connect happen with a simple technique - expressing vulnerability and personalizing the narrative. Surprisingly, we trust the car salesman who is willing to acknowledge the flaws in the car he is selling and speaks openly about his own experience with the product. Even a dry presentation when combined with a personal story that shows you as ‘human’ - warts and all-changes the relationship of the audience with you. As research shows, the photograph of a single tear drop trickling down a child’s face is worth a thousand ads with statistics on hunger and poverty when it comes to bringing in donations. 

    Sensorize: The most powerful speakers, writers and poets lead their audience through experiential journeys by creating vivid detail around the story or situation that they are describing. Think Wordsworth in  "I wandered lonely as a cloud" and how he uses sensory descriptions throughout -  “A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze”.  Songwriters also use this technique to evoke the response they desire - one of my favorite bands, Dire Straits in one of their highly popular songs say “…and when this ugly big car won’t climb this hill, I write a suicide note, on a 100 dollar bill..” 

    So a headache becomes a “throbbing in the temple” and the “networking conference” becomes that place where they serve overcooked shrimp and cheap wine. 

    Symbolize: In this technique, you represent your idea through a concrete symbol or character which is powerful and universally acknowledged. For e.g, he is Quixotic or  a regular Don Juan, conveys deeper and more powerful information than if you were to describe the individual and his traits. Instead of - “I will be there to encourage you”, “I will be your cheerleader” quickly explains and creates a concrete symbol that the audience can relate to. Another usage is when you use ‘archetypical’ symbols like the ‘warrior’ or the ‘healer’  which convey hold far deeper collective and cultural meanings. In law firms, a distinction is made between ‘hunters’ and ‘farmers’  symbolically representing those that go out and get business and those who service the business that comes in - a much more visceral description than a regular job title of ‘business development’ or ‘client servicing’. 

    So go forth. The world awaits with bated breath….!

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